


Stay, Hey! (You are My Soulmate)

by Ian_the_Existential_Crisis



Category: Apex Legends (Video Games)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, Happy Ending, Idiots in Love, Misunderstandings, Multi, Natalie has everything figured out, Polyamory, Self-Doubt, Taejoon is a good friend, This is not a soulmate au, idiots to lovers, mild self-esteem issues, oops no she doesn't
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-10
Updated: 2020-05-10
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:33:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,344
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24116575
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ian_the_Existential_Crisis/pseuds/Ian_the_Existential_Crisis
Summary: Natalie knew she loved them both, but to her it was so obvious, Ajay and Tav they would always be together. She was prepared to step aside and leave them behind.But meeting Taejoon gives her a bit of perspective.
Relationships: Lifeline | Ajay Che/Octane | Octavio Silva, Lifeline | Ajay Che/Octane | Octavio Silva/Wattson | Natalie Paquette, Lifeline | Ajay Che/Wattson | Natalie Paquette, Octane | Octavio Silva/Wattson | Natalie Paquette, Wattson | Natalie Paquette &; Crypto | Park Tae Joon
Kudos: 26





	Stay, Hey! (You are My Soulmate)

**Author's Note:**

> Ya know, this was originally supposed to be Wattson/Crypto with a hint of Lifeline/Octane. Funny how life works out. 
> 
> Leave a comment below if you think you know what the secondary ship is.

It was a late summer afternoon. The wind was cool but the pavement was scorching under the shining sun. Natalie, naturally, was laughing lightly as Octavio bounced from foot to foot. Maybe Ajay had stolen his shoes, or maybe he had lost them himself, but the teen acted like his soles touching the ground was the most painful thing that could ever happen. 

"Where did Ajay go anyway?" She asked the boy next to her. She watches his sweaty green hair flop in his face. It was finally growing out, his natural black roots taking over. It would only be a matter of time till his and Ajay had a spa day to fix the colorful hair they both enjoyed having. Who knows, maybe this would be the time Natalie joined in. She had always wanted to go pink. A brighter pink than Ajay though.

"She went ahead to grab some ice cream." Octavio grinned widely, pulling his swimming trunks up again. They sagged horribly when wet, and he still hadn't dried off. "I think she took my wallet along with my shoes."

Natalie laughed again, adjusting her baby blue cover. She was barely wet. It was mostly Ajay and Octavio playing in the neighborhood pool, they had splashed at her trying to get her in. 

Natalie couldn't help but be jealous of them. She had moved in a year ago, shortly after turning fourteen, but Ajay and Octavio had been friends since they were toddlers. It was hard to not feel left out sometimes. The constant third wheel. 

"Next time make her pay."

He watched the street, making sure there wasn't any glass he could step on. "Nah, I'm soft for her. If she wants ice cream and it would make her happy I would get it for her for the rest of her life."

"Oh, so romantic!" Natalie snorted at him.

"Laugh all you want. She doesn't know, but one day i will marry her and make her the happiest woman in the world."

"I want to be happy. Marry me instead."

It was a joke of course. Natalie knew that no matter how much she liked Octavio he would never be hers. Which was probably a good thing. Those two were so in love it wasn't funny. Even if Ajay didn't know it yet. 

"Haha." Octavio said, it almost sounded like a real laugh, but Natalie could tell he was being sarcastic. "The people might come to kill me if I claim the two most beautiful people on this earth."

She tilted her head up, her blue eyes that matched the sky watching the clouds pass, her hair brushing against her chin as they padded on. 

He always seemed to do stuff like that to her. He would call her beautiful or talented and make her feel like she was the only girl in the world. But there would always be the crushing reality that she wasn't. As long as she wasn't Ajay Che, his eyes would always drift away from her. 

"I want this year to be amazing." She sighed by accident. 

"Whatcha mean?" Octavio asked, pulling up his shorts again. Seeing him without a shirt in always reminded her of how tiny he really was. "You have me and Ajay. We make everyday amazing. Nothing's going to change that."

It was funny how he said it. Almost like he knew with all his heart it was true. But Natalie knew better. Once Octavio asked Ajay out and she said yes the three of them would never be the same. It would become too painful to be around them all the time and she would eventually fade out of their lives because she would never admit she loved Octavio. Then they would meet in a store in twenty years, Natalie would have gone to college and followed in her father's footsteps. Ajay and Octavio would go on to achieve their dreams and probably start a family. Natalie would smile at them, exchange phone numbers, and promise to keep in contact, but ultimately fade from their lives again. 

She could already see it. So when he called her beautiful, it hurt more than he could ever know. 

"I wish everything could stay the same." She finally let her gaze fall from the cloudy sky. Ajay was in front of them, not too far, waving a plastic bag. She already had a strawberry creamsicle hanging out of her mouth. Her muted pink hair was tied back in a ponytail that grazed the nape of her neck. Her dark skin looked rich against the light purple one piece she wore. 

Octavio yelled out her name, screaming about his sandals and how hot it had gotten, as he rushed towards her. He took off at full speed, which only reminded Natalie that he was the captain of the track team. 

Watching them smile and wave her on, eager for her to catch up, made Natalie smile. One day things would change between the three of them. And as much as she wished it never would, she could already see it happening. Every soft touch to the shoulder, every warm smile, all those small nudges from Ajay. It was unfolding before her very eyes. She couldn't look away. 

But it didn't have to change today. On that hot summer day, sweltering under the sun, it was just the three of them. And that's all it needed to be. 

…

Ajay frowned at her paper, and Natalie couldn't help but wonder what was wrong. Ajay was one of the smartest people, second only to Natalie herself not that she would ever brag about it, in the whole school. Not that they were actually at school. It was one of the seldom occasions when Octavio couldn't make it to hang out. Ajay had been nice enough to put on a movie while they worked on their homework. Normally they couldn't because Octavio was so easily distracted.

So Natalie moved from her spot on the floor up to the black leather couch next to Ajay to see what she was frowning at. She placed her hands on the freckled brown arms before moving in close. 

"What's wrong?" She leaned over placing her chin on the curve of Ajay's shoulder. Her head fit perfectly in the crook of her neck. Even if there were wavy strands of faded pink hair that filled her view, it felt nice to lean into Ajay's warmth. 

"Student council asked me if I could volunteer to help one of the new students starting tomorrow. I haven't been able to figure out how to fit helping him into my schedule." 

"Is it like a tutoring job, or just showing them around?"

"A little of both. They are moving into our neighborhood. Two houses down from Tav, I think. But my parents asked me to help out at the clinic this month. One of their nurses just up and left them." Ajay sighed, letting her head fall against Natalie's. 

"I could always take over looking after the new student. I wouldn't be much good at the clinic."

That, thankfully, lifted her spirits and made her chuckle. "I remember the last time we had you help, all those poor fish."

"It wasn't my fault okay. They should have seen the toaster coming and jumped out of the tank into a cup or something." Natalie gave Ajay's arm a playful shove. 

She really hadn't meant any harm. She was making toast for Mr. and Mrs. Che when she knocked it over. They all laughed it off, but they never asked for her help after that. 

"You really wouldn't mind?" Ajay let out a sigh. 

"For you, I'd drag the moon from the sky."

"Oh Nat, what would I do without you?" Ajay gave her a small peck on the cheek. 

"You'd either work yourself to death or have to deal with asking Tav. And trusting him with another human, well, you'd have better luck with me and fish."

Ajay chuckled, finally pulling away from Natalie's touch. Nat frowned at the lack of warmth under her chin. "He's such a spaz. I don't know if I could manage him without you around to help."

"You managed before me." 

"You call that managing?" The dark skinned teen stretched. "I call it a slow descent into madness."

"Oh come on. You guys are so in love that it's not even funny."

Ajay's amber eyes turned away from the paper. She always had this powerful look about her, like she was ready to take on the world. When she was with Octavio she burned even more bright, if that was even possible. That's how Natalie could tell they were meant for each other. They made the sun seem dim with the radiance between them. But Ajay's eyes always soften for her. She was still passionate, powerful, and radiant but it was almost like being around the blonde made her just a bit shy. It was the same look that she gave Natalie as she turned to face her properly. "It doesn't matter if I love him or not. He still drives me insane. That's why I'm so glad you're here."

Natalie felt her smile slip for a second. Had Ajay already realized how much she loved Octavio? How much longer would they share days like these? She didn't realize her time with them was so limited. 

It was probably the first time in her life that her words escaped before she could think of what to say. "I'll always be here for both of you. I love you guys."

Ajay Che smiled back at her. She was the brightest person in Natalie's life. Sometimes Natalie thought she dimmed her light around her so she could keep up, but smiles like that proved her wrong. 

"You should know we both love you more than anything."

…

As it turned out, Tae was a great student and brilliant mind. He just had some disciplinary issues. Like keep him away from decent internet kinds of issues. 

"Park Taejoon, what do you think you're doing?" Natalie asked one day. It had been nice so they agreed to meet at one of the tables outside for their study session. Natalie refused to call it tutoring, because he really didn't need it. But instead of the tables she found him under one of the old oak trees reading.

His slanted eyes narrowed at her as she called him by his full name. He closed whatever book he had been reading without placing a bookmark in, and folded it closed easily with one hand. "Waiting for you." 

His voice may have been cold, but he was always honest with her. It was one of the many qualities that she liked about him. Although she felt no romantic feelings towards him, not that he would ever reciprocate, she did feel like they just instantly clicked. It had been almost two months since she offered to help Ajay by showing him around and she definitely didn't regret it.

"I didn't make you wait too long, did I?" She asked, sitting beside him. Her leggings barely shielded her from the prickly grass. She didn't understand why he liked to sit out here. 

"No." His eyes flickered back to his book. She wondered if he regretted closing it so fast. "But both Ajay and Octavio have already been by."

"They are both so impatient." Natalie chuckled.

"Maybe if you spent more time with your lovers they would stop pestering me."

She blinked at him. He wasn't really the type to make jokes like that. And as usual he sounded far too serious for him to be saying anything other than what he thought to be facts. 

"Woah, woah. It's not like that."

"It's not?"

"Definitely not!" She almost screamed at him. Her head whipped around to make sure nobody was staring before she lowered her voice. "They are so in love. I'm just their third wheel. When they finally start going out they won't need me around all the time."

"Are you sure? It looks like all three of you…"

"No, there is no way either of them like me like that. We've just been friends for a very long time." She tried to explain. 

"And what about you?" He shot back immediately. 

"What about me?"

"How do you feel about them? About them going out together and leaving you behind?"

"I love them both and want them to be happy." She realized it was a very generic answer, but what was she supposed to say? Was she supposed to admit that her chin on Ajay's shoulder was her favorite place, or that when Octavio looked at her and called her beautiful her heart leapt? Hell no! She loved them both, and it wasn't fair to either of them that she would never be able to pick just one. It was a good thing for all of them that those two had feelings for each other so she would never have to choose. 

"So if I asked you out right now, would you say yes?"

"What? No! I don't even know you that well."

"First, that's what dating is for." He rolled his eyes at her as he continued. "And second, you don't have anyone else, do you? What would one date hurt?"

"Well…" 

She couldn't answer him without giving him what he wanted. Why did it even matter? So what if she had a thing for both of her friends? It wasn't like she was going to ask either of them out. She wasn't going to get in their way. What would one date hurt? 

Natalie bit her lip. Because as much as she liked hanging out with Tae, she didn't like him that way. Going out on a date, acting like her heart wasn't torn between her two friends, it felt like leading him on. 

"I…" She started.

"You don't think of me that way because your mind is filled with them." He finished for her. He must have seen something turning behind her blue eyes, because he immediately continued. "It's okay, I wasn't being serious."

"That's mean." Natalie pouted. She found herself awkwardly plucking at the grass next to her leg. She didn't want to let the silence consume them, but she couldn't find the right words.

"Does it really matter?" She finally said, her voice so soft a cricket chirping could have overshadowed her. "It's not like either of them are me that way."

"You could always make them."

"I feel so selfish. Being in love with both. It's like I can't choose because I feel like I'm meant to be there with both of them. But that's not fair to them. And they…"

"Have you asked?" Tae interrupted her. He didn't look or sound mad, but he sighed at her. 

"Asked what?"

"Asked them if they are in love with each other?" 

"That is not something you just ask!" She yelled. Her face flushed a vibrant red. 

"From an outsider's point of view, which I am, the same way they look at each other, they look at you."

"Don't be crazy."

"Ask them." Tae encouraged, opening his book again. He flipped about three fourths of the way through. "What's the harm?"

…

Natalie didn't like feeling nervous. Really who did? That didn't matter. What mattered was she didn't normally feel nervous. She was a very confident person. She knew she was smart, top of her grade. She knew that she was pretty, people often complemented her hair and eyes. But having to face her friends. Her two best friends, because she wanted to know if she had any chance with either of them, was terrifying to her. 

In her head she already had everything planned out for when this failed. Things would be awkward for a while, then she would laugh it off a few days later, claiming it to be a prank from Tae, who she would force to go along with her after ruining her life. And if they weren't convinced she would gladly invite them on a double date. 

"Nat?" It was Octavio who spoke. She hasn't even noticed him come out of the building. She had been zoning out, thinking about how she would ask them, in her usual spot where she would meet with Tae. 

But her blue eyes glanced up at him and saw Ajay there too. "Oh, hey guys."

"It's not your usual day to hang out with Park, we thought we could steal you." Ajay smiled at her. That blinding smile that Natalie loved so much.

"Sure." She says shakily. If they noticed neither of them said anything. "What are you thinking?" 

"Scary movie?" Octavio suggested. Of course he did. He liked to watch scary stuff even though he would end up being the one who got scared. It was cute. 

"No." Ajay said firmly. "I don't need you calling me at two in the morning because you had a nightmare." She gave his shoulder a light nudge.

"We could always do a study group." Natalie suggested. 

"Boring!"

"I was thinking something more… away from home." Ajay smirked. "How about we go to the aquarium?" 

"Cool." Octavio nodded. "You know I love sharks."

"But that sounds more like a date spot." Natalie blurted out. She hasn't meant to say it. But she felt like she would be a third wheel on their date.

"So?" Ajay gave her a funny look. "You've never had a problem with it before. We go to all kinds of stuff like that."

"But I…"

Ajay frowned and looked at Octavio. "Did you tell her without me?"

"What? No!" He shook his head. 

"Tell me that you guys are dating?" Natalie asked, standing from the table she was at. "I see you guys all the time, I knew it would happen." 

"Yeah but…" Octavio tried. He looked at Ajay, lost for words. 

"But Nat, we both want you to be there. We love you." 

She blinked. Natalie was packing up her stuff to leave, ready to make the decision for them, but Ajay had just said… that. She said it with such ease, that it could only be meant in a friendship way.

"As a friend?" She hadn't meant for it to come out like a question. 

"Yeah… no." Octavio answered. "More like, hurry up and join us in bed."

"Tav!!"

"What? How is she supposed to know if we keep dancing around it?" His eyes turned from Ajay to Natalie. "Look, I love Ajay, but I also love you. It might be selfish, but I know if it's the three of us, we could make it work."

"Tav, you can't just come out like that." Ajay sighed, massaging her temples, it was like Octavio was a walking talking headache that she refused to make medicine for. "What if she doesn't feel the same and you ruin our friendship?"

"She feels the same!"

"You don't get to decide that!" The pink haired girl yelled at him. 

"But I do love you both." Natalie whispered. She wasn't sure if there were tears in her eyes, but she could feel the tingle in her throat. "I've loved you both for so long. I thought I would lose you both because you were so in love with each other."

"Oh Nat." Ajay stepped around the table. "I would never let you go. You're stuck with us, as long as you'll have us both."

"We're a package deal." Octavio chimed in, stepping around her other side. 

Being hugged, while trying not to cry, by both of them made the future that she thought was set in stone melt away. 

"I guess Taejoon was right." 

"That idiot?" Octavio questioned pulling back slightly so he could see Natalie's face. "Isn't he also in a poly relationship? I've met his boyfriend." 

"I guess he would be able to spot his own then." Ajay laughed, also pulling back. She let her hand slide down until her pinky linked with Natalie's. "Now about our date to the aquarium?"


End file.
